Airplane toy balloon



March 5, 1957 J. VENTURELLA 2,783,584

AIRPLANE Toy BALLooN Filed Nov. 1s, 1954 INVENTOR.

JOSEPH. lVsrruREmJx BY This invention relates to new and useful improvements in toy lighter-than-air craft, aerial toys and toy balloon structures.

More particularly, the present invention proposes the construction of a toy having a balloon which can be gas iilled and a helicopter pitched propeller rotatablyl mounted beneath the balloon on a rod removably connected at one endwith the mouth of the balloonand havingmeans at the other end for attaching a iiight string thereto.

As a further object, the present invention proposes forming the toy with two rods adjustably and pivotally connected together, one rod being vertically disposed beneath the `balloon and having a helicopter pitched propeller rotatably mounted thereon and the other rod having a standard pitched propeller rotatably mounted on it.

Still further, the present invention proposes constructing the toy with a single propeller rod having a two-pronged hook at one end and with an adhesive tape for sealing closed the mouth of the balloon, the tape spaced holes for insertion of the propeller rod hooks.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descrip-tion and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. l is a side view of a toy constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating a modification of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Figs. 3 and 4 but illustrating another modification.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of the structure shown in Fig. 6 but with the propeller rod omitted and the rst stage of twisting the neck Vof the balloon indicated in dotdash outline.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the propeller rod and tape shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

The toy, in accordance with the first form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, has a balloon 15 having a body portion 16 and a neck 17 with a mouth 18. The balloon is of the conventional rubber type which can be tilled with helium, hydrogen or other lighter-than-air gas.

A retainer block 19, preferably of wood, cork or the like, is provided which has an upwardly slanting side 20 adapted removably and frictionally to tit in the mouth 18 of the balloon, the mouth 18 being stretched over the sides. Extending axially through the retainer block 19 is a propeller rod 21 having ends 22 and 23 disposed outside the retainer block 19. A head 24 on end 22 of rod 21 is disposed inside the mouth 18 and neck 17 of the StCS Patenti er 2,783,584 Patented Mar-...5,1957

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balloon when the retainer block is in place and prevents the rod 21 from being pulled through the retainer block. In addition to retainer block 19, a string or rubber band 25 provides closure means for the mouth opening 18 of the balloon, the member 25 being wound around the neck 17 and spaced from the mouth 18 and disposed behind the retainer block 19. 4Propeller rod 21 has two -spaced bearings 26 and 27 be tween its ends 22 and 23. A helicopter pitched propeller 28 of plastic, light wood, aluminum or the like is rotatably mounted on the propeller rod between the bearings 26 and 27. An end member 29 on end 23 ofthe propeller -rod is spaced from the bearing 27 sothat a tiight string or `cord 30may have one end attachedto the rod between end member 29 and bearing 27. Y l

To operate the toy, the balloon is filled with lighterdtham air gas and the neck is constricted by rubber band or string 25 between the body portion 16 of the balloon and mouth 18, said mouth being stretched around the side 2() ofthe block. The head 24 on end` 22 of the propeller/rod is disposed inside the mouth andneckof the balloon'and the helicopter pitched propeller is disposed directly beneath the balloon. The tiight string 30 is attached at one end to the rod between the end member 29 and bearing 27 and the child holds the other end of the Hight string.

The modification of the present inventi-on illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 is characterized by the provision of two propeller rods 35 and 36 pivotally and adjustably connected together at one end and having rotatably mounted thereon a helicopter pitched propeller 37 and a standard pitched airplane propeller 38, respectively. The first propeller rod 35 has one end 39 which extends through a retainer block 40 adapted removably to fit inside the mouth 41 of a balloon 42 having a body portion 43 and a neck 44. A head 45 is formed on this end 39 of the rod 35. Two spaced bearings 46 and 47 are provided on the rod 35 adjacent its other end 48 and the helicopter pitched propeller 37 is rotatably mounted on the rod 35 between these :bearings 46 and 47.

The second propeller rod 36 likewise has two spaced bearings 49 and 50 adjacent its end 51 and the standard pitched airplane propeller 38 is rotatably mounted on this second rod 36 between bearings 49 and 50.4 An end mem- -ber 52 is provided at end 51 of the second propeller rod 36 spaced from the bea-ring 50 so that a flight string 53 may be attached to the second propeller rod between the end member 52 and bearing 50.

The other end 54 of the second rod 36 contains a shackle 55 and the end 48 of the first propeller rod 35 has a mating shackle 56. The two shackles are connected by a pin 57 having a threaded end 58 with a wing nut 59 thereon t-o tighten the shackles together so that the two propeller rods may be locked together -at any one of a number of angles. The helicopter pitched propeller may therefore be disposed beneath the balloon and the standard pitched airplane propeller may be disposed to one side of the vertical axis of the balloon byangular adjustment of the propeller rods.

The modification of the invention illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 is characterized by the provision of a propeller rod 70 having an upper endr71 with two pronged spaced hooks 72 and 73. A balloon 74 having a body portion 75 and a neck 76 with a mouth 77 is filled with lighterthan-air gas and the neck 76 twisted a-s indicated in Fig. 7 and folded against the body portion of the balloon. An adhesive coated tape 78 is stuck to the balloon over the folded twisted neck to close the mouth of the balloon and prevent gas from escaping from the balloon.

Tape 78 has two spaced holes 79 and 80 through which the hooks 72 and 73 of the propeller rod 70 are extended to connect the propeller rod to the balloon.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments ofmyinvention, it is to be understood that 4Idonot limit myself to the Aprecise constructionsherein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within'the scope of the invention as detine'dinthe appended claims. Y l f :Having thus 'described rny-invent-ion, what I-claim as new, andfdesire to secure'by'United StatesLettersPatent l. -A toy comprising an inflatable balloon having a body portion and a neck with a mouth opening therein, closure mean-s to close the mouth opening of the balloon, a propeller Vrod having Vtwofends with a pair ofn spaced bearingstherebetween, a helicopterpitched propeller rotatably mounted on the-rod between said spaced'bearings, means at one end of the Vpropeller -rod connecting the rod with said closure means, a secondpropeller rod having two vends Iwith spaced 'bearings therebetween, an airplane pitched propeller rotatably `mounted on the'second propeller rod between the spaced bearings thereof, means at Aone end ofI the second rod to attach afflight-string'thereto, and

adjustable pivot means at the other adjacent ends of -the propeller rods pivotally and adjustably to lconnect the rods together at a pluralityA of angles.

2. A toy comprising an inatable balloon having a bo'dy portionand a neck with a mouth opening therein, closure means to close the mouth opening of the balloon, a-propeller Vrod having two ends witha pair of spaced bearings therebetween, a helicopter pitched propeller rotatably mounted on the rod between said spaced bearings, means at one end of the propeller rod connecting the rod with said closure means, a second propeller rod having two ends with spaced bearings therebetween, an airplane pitched propeller rotatably mounted on the second propeller rod between the spaced bearings thereof, means at one end of the second rod to attach a vflight string thereto, and adjustable pivot means at the other adjacent ends of the propeller rods pivotally and adjustably to connect the rods together at a plurality of angles, said adjustable pivot means being shackles onthe two rods .with a pivot pin extending therethrough, said pin having a threaded end and a wing nut mounted on the threaded end and adapted frictionally to hold the shackles together in a pivoted position on the p in.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,245,444 Creque Nov. 6, 1917 1,543,954 Shira June 30, 1925 2,339,983 ,Day Ian. 25, 1944 2,524,059 Kennedy Oct. 3, 1950 

